The LMAC Community run by @shaka holds a weekly collage contest for its members. In the Community, you'll discover a variety of themed entries submitted for consideration. If selected for the final round, contest hopefuls anxiously await results indicating where their placement that determines the prize amount. It's a fun contest that any Hive member can participate. If you'd like to join in, just visit the LMAC Community account here and follow the rules of the contest for details on the latest contest.
The LMAC Community also offers an opportunity for members to create and post in the Community "freestyle" collage themes. In the freestyle option, more freedom is allowed to design your creations without having to incorporate the weekly contest photo. However, contest rules still apply.
For my Freestyle Collage No. 91, my theme is a magical gondola ride.
The captain steering the gondola is an experienced female navigator. Her rapport with the beings acting as transport is superior. These beings in nature have offered their services to enthrall young children and instill in them the magic of discovery and adventure.
Any place there is a child in need of attention, she arrives. Accompanying her are unusual magical beings to assist in providing the best experience these youngsters will remember for a lifetime and hopefully share with their descendants.
One such young girl, Amanda who recently lost her father, waits patiently on the side by the buildings. The letter in her hand contains her name, the date, and the adventure she has been granted.
Amanda reads the letter again. Anxious for her adventure to begin, she frets as she looks left and right. Her mother stands nearby in the shadow of the building, but not too close wondering herself about the adventure for it wasn't revealed in her daughter's letter.
A giant emerald grasshopper with large, bulging eyes searches the landscape as if he understands his mission. His head is wide. Ten long legs wade through the river down the middle of the city. Amanda jerks a loud breath. Her hands tremble as the insect approaches.
A buzzing sound distracts her. She glances up just in time to notice a small fairy flying overhead. She's calmed by the fairy's colorful pink-shaded face with two pairs of eyes as she flies nearby sprinkling pixie dust over the insect. The fairy settles in the sky on a flower. Her watchful eyes embrace Amanda.
Amanda's spirit calms as if transfixed. She no longer fears the giant insect.
Immediately, the grasshopper pauses, then lowers his body further into the water.
"Hello Amanda. My name is Captain Hannah," the tall, beautiful female sitting atop the insect soothingly proclaims as she extends her hand. "Come aboard. We've people to see, places to visit, and fun to be had. Let's not waste another moment."
"But my weekend chores," Amanda shouts, then glances back at her mother.
Her mother steps from the shadows. She nods at Hannah, then waves her hand.
Amanda smiles, then waits to be hoisted up with the help of Captain's Hanna's assistant. The aqua angel with colorful wings grabs her hand and steadies her on the large mushroom steps, then onto the giant grasshopper gondola ride.
As she looks back, Loby jumps from her mother's hand and dashes toward the origami sailboat left on the boardwalk. An adventurous tomcat, he's not about to be left behind and miss Amanda's adventure. I'm her protector, he convinces himself as he stares at Amanda's mother and happily wags his tail.
Amanda's mother winks her eye and suppresses a laugh at the adventurous pair.
In preparing my theme, I wanted to use one of the contest photos I felt would blend well with the scene of a gondola ride. I chose the image from LMAC Round 209. The image reminds me of a local attraction, The River Walk, located in another city.
For Captain Hanna and her giant grasshopper as the transporation, I discovered an ethereal image that exudes magic.
The additional images I included in my theme I felt brought magic to life for the deserving little girl. One of the images is a fairy photo I discovered. I envisioned her sprinkling calm over the giant grasshopper before he begins the boat ride down the river.
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| Item | Contributor | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Water Nymph | Pexels | Link |
| Kingfisher Bird | PurePNG | Link |
| Cat | @edgarafernandezp | Link |
| Origami boat | @yetsimar | Link |
| Angel | @eve66 | Link |
When compiling my freestyle collage design, I upload my images to Canva. It's my design program I use to blend my images. Below are the procedures I use that incorporate the tools at my disposal in my Annual Pro Membership Subscription.
To a blank canvas, I added the LMAC Contest photo with the buildings
Colorized the buildings, then resized it to fill the entire screen.
Added the giant grasshopper image.
Removed background of grasshopper. Repositioned it between the buildings.
Added the fairy and the angel.
Removed background of fairy, then resized and positioned it in the skyline in the tree flowers. Positioned the angel on the mushroom.
Added the bird, cat, boat.
Placed bird to the left hand side of screen. Removed background of cat. Resized and positioned boat, then placed cat inside. Completed the collage.
Below is my completed freestyle collage:
Thanks for your visit. I appreciate it. I hope you like my freestyle collage theme.
CONTEST RULES
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
| What is Let's Make a Collage? | It is a weekly photography and collage contest. |
|---|---|
| Who created the contest? | @shaka is the contest owner. |
| What type of contest is it? | This Contest utilizes a single photo provided by the contest owner as the basis for you to create your own photo collage by adding to the photo provided. |
| What are the rules? | 1. Use as your starting point for your collage the photography provided by the contest owner. It is located on the contest owner's post for free use without any copyright protection. |
| 2. Entries are required to be posted to the LMAC community and must contain a link to the contest post. | |
| 3. Entries need to set the LMAC account (@lmac) as 20% beneficiary to be eligible for the dynamic component of the prize pool.; | |
| 4. Extra support with the LMAC trail to all collages where LIL assets have been included AND the respective LIL-contributors set as 2% beneficiaries; | |
| 5. By submitting your contribution you agree that your artwork remains public domain and that it can be copied, modified and distributed, even for commercial purposes, without requiring further permission. | |
| 6. Any graphical element that is added to the photography either needs to be your own original work (e.g. own artwork or photography) OR needs to derive from sites whitelisted by LMAC. | |
| 7. IMPORTANT: Indicate the source of all materials used in your accompanying post. Otherwise your entry can NOT be put up for the final vote. | |
| 8. All sort of editing, modification and/or manipulation is allowed as long as no copyright is affected. | |
| What do you win? | Prizes listed on the contest owner's post. |
SOURCES:
a) JustClickindiva's Footer created in Canva utilizing its free background and images used with permission from discord admins.
b) Unless otherwise noted, all photos taken by me with my (i) Samsung Galaxy 10" Tablet, (ii) Samsung Phone, & (iii) FUJI FinePix S3380 - 14 Mega Pixels Digital Camera
c) Purple Butterfly part of purchased set of Spiritual Clip Art for my Personal Use
d) All Community logos, banners, page dividers used with permission of Discord Channel admins.
e) Ladies of Hive banner used with permission of and in accordance with the admin's guidelines
f) Thumbnail Image created by me in Canva.
g) "Flames." What is Apophysis 2.09. https://flam3.com/
If translation included, I use DeepL to assist my readers.
Thanks for your patience an understanding.